Homelessness is not just a housing problem

At The Co-operative Bank, we believe that no young person in our society should be homeless or at risk of homelessness.

There are lots of reasons why a young person could become homeless, including family breakdown and mental health issues. Tens of thousands of young people ask for help with homelessness every year.

Homelessness doesn't just involve people sleeping on the streets either. There are many more people who aren’t as visible: the hidden homeless. The hidden homeless are sleeping on buses, sofa surfing with friends, or even worse, sleeping in the homes of strangers. Many are unable to live with family members, have no family, or are escaping abuse and violence and have little choice but to find shelter where they can.

The Co-operative Bank is defined by its values and ethics, and we have a history of standing up for the causes and social issues that matter most to our customers. We believe that everyone has the right to a safe environment they can call home, which is why we have partnered with Centrepoint, the UK’s leading charity for homeless young people. Centrepoint is helping to house young people, and assisting them in finding work by providing safe accommodation, access to learning, and support with physical and mental health issues.

How are we supporting Centrepoint?

From sponsoring the first Manchester Sleep Out in 2017, where almost 100 Co-operative Bank staff attended, through to product initiatives, customer donations and individual fundraising efforts, we’ve raised over £450,000 to date*.

This money is being used to help fund new initiatives to assist homeless young people in the UK, including Centrepoint’s first national telephone helpline, and a new support centre in our home town of Manchester.

We are also proud to be the lead supporter of the 2018 Centrepoint Awards at Kensington Palace. Hosted by The Duke Of Cambridge, these awards celebrate the achievements of seven amazing young people who’ve been affected by homelessness. By shining a light on their stories and achievements, we hope to elevate the vital work that Centrepoint does, and aid them in their mission to end youth homelessness in the UK.

We are so proud of the contribution our customers and colleagues have helped us to make.

*Total as at February 2018

Centrepoint is a registered charity in England and Wales, No. 292411.

Real life stories

John’s story

At age 15, John found himself regularly sleeping on benches or in derelict buildings. Then, Centrepoint offered him a chance for a new start.

The Co‑operative Bank p.l.c. is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority (No. 121885). The Co‑operative Bank, Platform, smile and Britannia are trading names of The Co‑operative Bank p.l.c., P.O. Box 101, 1 Balloon Street, Manchester M60 4EP. Registered in England and Wales No.990937. Credit facilities are provided by The Co‑operative Bank p.l.c. and are subject to status and our lending policy. The Bank reserves the right to decline any application for an account or credit facility. The Co‑operative Bank p.l.c. subscribes to the Standards of Lending Practice which are monitored by the Lending Standards Board.

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